Wednesday, Tuesday, Thursday
by infinitestarsintheskye
Summary: FitzSimmons have a certain fondness for buses.


FitzSimmons had always been fond of the bus, because it was where they first met. Not the big high tech plane they flew about in, but a regular service bus that ran from near their dorms at The Academy into the nearest town. Fitz liked getting the bus into town because there was a small scrapyard at the end of town, which in his eyes was like a sweet shop, filled with parts and scrap metal for his inventions. Simmons got the bus because there was a library and a book shop in the town and sometimes The Academy felt restricting and she just needed to get away from it all and fill her head with stories instead of algorithms and facts, not that she didn't love every second of her studies.

Fitz first noticed Simmons on a Wednesday. Her arms were filled with books and folders. She placed them down on the seat next to her before picking up the book on the top of the pile and flicking through it before stopping at a certain page and burying her nose deep into it. He knew she was from The Academy because there were no other universities in the area and he recognised the small black eagle logo on some of her folders. He was sitting on one of the raised up seats near the back of the bus so he had a clear view of the bus and all of it's occupants and laughed to himself and he watched this girl do the very thing he did on a regular basis when he was working.

Simmons first noticed Fitz on the following Tuesday. She was getting on the bus one evening and saw him with a few small pieces of metal on his lap and a notebook next to him, which he was furiously scribbling in. He kept glancing at the metal every few seconds before returning to the notebook and his face kept lighting up each time he re-glanced at the metal. Simmons was so engrossed in watching him that she didn't realise she was at the front of the que and the driver had asked her twice already where she was going. She sat a little further back that she usually would on the bus that night, so she could glance back at Fitz, who was sitting in his normal seat, raised up at the back. She was sad to get off the bus, but was inwardly thrilled that the boy at the back of the bus was getting off at The Academy dorms too. Her excitement was short lived after he sped past her as soon as they got off the bus, and went in the complete opposite direction to where her dorm was. She sighed, but resolved to keep an eye out for him around school.

Over the following month they snuck glances of the others antics on their shared bus rides home. One Thursday when they were both catching the bus home to their halls and Simmons sat in Fitz's normal seat, deciding that she was going to talk to him. Fitz got a surprise when he went to sit in his regular seat and found it already occupied.

"Excuse me but I usually..." He faltered when he saw who was sitting there.

Simmons gave him a small smile.

"Sorry about that." He said rubbing his neck and quickly sitting next to her.

"It's alright. I'm Jemma, Jemma Simmons." She put out her hand for him to shake.

He took it and and replied.

"Fitz, Leo Fitz."

They sat in silence for a while, before Fitz pointed to the SHIELD logo on the folder she was holding on her lap.

"You go to The Academy too? What d'you specialise in?" Fitz asked.

"BioChem."

"Engineering."

Simmons nodded.

"That's probably why our paths haven't really crossed until now." She said.

"But surely I would have seen you when they make us do those collaboration experiments they make us do every month?" Fitz replied.

"I've not been here that long so that's probably why. I only started at the start of this term, or semester as they like to call it here, three months ago." Simmons explained.

"I only just started here too. It's my first term here too." Fitz almost sighed with relief.

"If you don't mind my asking, how old are you? It's only just that you and I seem to be the youngest two at that entire Academy." Simmons asked.

"I'm eighteen, and yourself?" Fitz replied.

"Eighteen."

They sat in companionable silence for the rest of the ride. They loitered for a while after they got off the bus.

"Well Fitz it was nice to meet you. I hope I get partnered with you for this months collaboration." Simmons smiled at him.

Fitz gave a small smile back.

"Me too. It was nice to meet you Simmons. See you around?"

"I certainly hope so. See you later Fitz."

"Simmons"

And they went their separate ways. But not for long. They were paired together for that month's collaboration experiment. But what neither of them would admit was that shortly after their first proper meeting they both went to Agent Weaver and requested to be paired with the other for that month. And they did so well together that they were kept together, for the next month, and the next month, and the next month and the next month. And when they were asked to choose their partner that they would be working with for the entirety of their second year at The Academy, the chose each other. And somewhere in their three years at The Academy, a professor came up with the nickname FitzSimmons. And it stuck.


End file.
